Organic Light Emitting Device Single-Chamber Deposition
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing organic light emitting device manufacturing processes require multiple chambers and lengthy processes due to the need for forming multiple sub-layers, which increases costs and complexity.
Innovation Solution
A method of forming a thin film using a mixture that includes a light emitting layer material and additional materials with different process temperatures, allowing sequential lamination in a single chamber by heating the mixture in a stepwise manner, with the additional materials including hole injection, transport, and blocking layers, and using masks to form distinct organic composite layers for different pixels.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If multiple chambers are used to form different organic layers separately, then each layer can be formed with precise control, but the manufacturing process becomes complex and time-consuming
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple separate chamber processes into a single vacuum chamber by co-depositing multiple organic materials (host material and dopant material) simultaneously. This merging approach maintains layer formation precision while dramatically simplifying the manufacturing process by eliminating the need for multiple chambers and sequential processing steps.
Solution Approach 2:
The single vacuum chamber is designed to perform multiple functions: it can deposit different organic materials with different vapor pressures, form multiple layers (hole injection, hole transport, light emitting, electron transport, electron injection layers), and control the deposition of each material independently through temperature control of respective source containers.
2Manufacturing precision
If multiple chambers are used for forming organic layers, then each layer can be optimized independently, but the manufacturing time and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent enables continuous deposition of multiple organic layers in a single vacuum chamber without breaking the vacuum or transferring substrates between chambers. The host material and dopant material are co-deposited simultaneously, and the vacuum state is maintained throughout the entire multi-layer formation process, eliminating idle time and significantly reducing manufacturing cycle time.
3Ease of manufacture
If separate processes are used for each organic layer, then process control is simplified, but the overall manufacturing efficiency decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces dynamic control mechanisms where the temperature of each source container can be independently adjusted to control the vapor pressure and deposition rate of each organic material. This dynamic temperature control allows precise regulation of the co-deposition process, maintaining ease of process control while achieving high manufacturing efficiency through simultaneous multi-layer formation.
4Manufacturing precision
If multiple materials with different vapor pressures are deposited separately, then each material can be controlled independently, but the number of processing steps increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent utilizes parameter changes, specifically temperature variations, to control the vapor pressure of different organic materials during co-deposition. By adjusting the temperature of each source container, the vapor pressure of each material is independently controlled, enabling precise deposition control while performing multiple material depositions in a single processing step rather than requiring separate steps for each material.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach reduces the number of chambers and masks needed, lowering process costs and increasing efficiency while maintaining the quality of organic composite layers, enabling the formation of organic light emitting devices with improved performance and reduced complexity.
Implementation Method 1
heating the mixture for depositing a thin film up to a process temperatures of the light emitting layer material and a process temperature of the additional material
Implementation Method 2
sequentially laminating the light emitting layer and the at least one layer adjacent to the light emitting layer onto a substrate inside a chamber by heating the mixture for depositing a thin film
Data Source
AI summary
A method of forming a thin film includes preparing a mixture including a light emitting layer material that forms a light emitting layer and a material that forms a layer adjacent to the light emitting layer, and sequentially laminating the light emitting layer and the layer adjacent to the light emitting layer onto a substrate inside a chamber by heating the mixture to a process temperature of the light emitting layer material and a process temperature of the additional material. The light emitting layer material and the additional material have process temperatures that are different from each other. The light emitting layer material and the additional material are laminated onto the substrate sequentially from one of the light emitting layer material and the additional material having a lower process temperature to one of the light emitting layer material and the additional material having a higher process temperature.